LHS Barnstormers Find A New Home For Their Art

The Barnstormers on their final night of their last production, "Elephant's Graveyard" in October. 

There is magic happening on Franklin Boulevard and that magic is occuring within Lakewood High School's Barnstormer Drama Club, headed by Domenic Farinelli and Autumn Sabin, both who belong to the school's faculty. As of late, the club has been without an actual space to perform their Fall and Winter productions, but that did not stop their venturing out in the Fall of 2014 just after their last production in the beloved try-out theatre. As many of us who are Lakewood alumni have lost iconic Lakewood High spots such as the lovely L-Room Cafeteria, the Barnstormers have lost the ever so gracious theatre. Their new production location has revolutionized the way many of us might view traditional play production.  

Beginning in the Winter of 2015, the Barnstormers migrated from their old home to a new one with all the intentions to mellifluously produce purposeful productions. This space offered a non-traditional way of high school theatre production, as students moved from acting in regular proscenium style staging, to theatre in the round in the second floor art atrium of the school. This newer style is different in the way that the audience surrounds the stage floor, offering actors the chance to project their talent and emotion to three different sides of the stage. This is the major difference from their prior location, and though many other organizations would possibly struggle with the move, the Barnstormers accomplish miles of tasks effortlessly. They have already run two shows since last winter, transforming their terrazzo flooring into the streets of Paris and the entire space into an enlivened circus.  

With students making up 95% of the entire club, there is a beautiful balance of staff and student collaboration as these theatrical scholars come together to create gorgeous shows. What goes into these efforts are years of experience from the ones who teach them what can be seen on the stage floor. Rehearsals are essentially dramaturgical classrooms as students delve into play-acting, producing, woodwork, stage managing, and lighting as well as sound design. Not to mention, the very same students are publicizing and raising money in the absence of a non-existent boosters program, and they make just as much progress as hard-working adults.  

The main theme that can be taken away from these young professionals is their sense of determination. They work with the materials they have and they comfortably create productions that both revoltionize high school theatre and drama organizations. Theatre can occur anywhere and at any time, and the Lakewood High School Barnstormers Drama Club are epitomizing an everlasting dedication to this subject. Their message to you is to ask you to help support not just the art they are creating, but art everywhere. The world is constantly stabilized by artists who push boundaries and reinvent their craft. By attending their productions, their galleries, and their performances, you are taking your painted hand and coloring the world with your iridescent shades.  

Coming very soon to the high school is the One-Act Comedies, running from February 3rd to the 6th each night at 7:30pm. Tickets are five dollars with wheelchair accessible space, and any further questions can be directed to Domenic.Farinelli@LakewoodCitySchools.org. Be sure to view the enchantment the Barnstormers are creating for these four nights. All the shows are student written, student directed, and student run. Also coming soon is  "Into the Woods," a classic musical produced in the Lakewood Civic Auditorium. Stay up-to-date with all the fine art happenings at Lakewood High School, a place of artistic genius.

Antonio DeJesus is a Lakewood High School Senior and prospective Musical Theatre student.